The Greater Beveridge Community Centre came as the community gathered to celebrate the launch of We Are Beveridge, a new public artwork created through extensive local collaboration and funded by the Victorian Government's Tiny Towns Grant Round 2 program.
Guests enjoyed live performances from local singer Noah Graham in the garden and Theo Smit's Social Dance Group inside the centre before turning their attention to the unveiling of the artwork on Wednesday 5 February.
The project was shaped through conversations with more than 100 Beveridge residents in late 2025, including groups based at the centre - such as the Social Dance Group, Chat and Chino, the singing and dance group, and the mosaic group - as well as the BEAM Mitchell Environmental Group, Beveridge CFA, the Mandalay community and local wildlife carers. Their stories and values informed the creative direction of local artist Justine Barlow, who was selected to lead the project.
The final installation features 13 symbolic art poles, each representing a person, group or value that positively contributes to Beveridge. A striking centrepiece - a decades‑old Ironbark gum stump transformed with resin, banksia seeds, red gum bark and detailed native flora - anchors the artwork, alongside a large tree‑trunk bench adorned with community‑inspired symbols.
The project was supported by the Victorian State Government and the Department of Transport and Planning. The We Are Beveridge artwork is now officially open, offering a lasting celebration of local identity, creativity and connection for all who visit the centre.
